It is 313 Day, a day to celebrate Detroit! For one business, today is also a day to bounce back after being a burglary victim.
Clement Brown Jr. loves Detroit so much, he named a store after it. Three Thirteen represents the 313 area code.
He opened the store on East Jefferson near Chene Street on March 13, 2016.
In January, Three Thirteen became victim to burglars using a SUV to burst through the storefront. The thieves stole merchandise and money, leaving about $50,000 worth of damage.
"What they tried to take was our peace of mind and that's what we didn't allow them to do."
It is fitting to have a re-grand opening on 313 Day.
Brown has been making and selling clothes since he was 12. After the incident, many told him to close up shop.
"In Detroit, you can't do business and that's something I totally oppose. That's not my narrative."
He sells popular Detroit brands and his own.
"I love to highlight Detroit's past, present and future."
Now that the store is back open, Clement's focus is to help other designers.
"My goal is to be to them what I needed because I didn't have that kind of help growing up," he explained. "They start out in their basement or they start out of the trunk of their car."
Brown said the store is a true representation of a city that never gives up.
"We are the city of new beginnings and so for me when I had seen the devastation, ultimately it was an opportunity for us to show the true spirit of Detroit and what we represent as a brand."
